Rapid Assessment Reference Condition Model

Transcription

1 R1MTME Rapid Assessment Reference Condition Model The Rapid Assessment is a component of the LANDFIRE project. Reference condition models for the Rapid Assessment were created through a series of expert workshops and a peer-review process in 2004 and For more information, please visit Please direct questions to helpdesk@landfire.gov. Potential Natural Vegetation Group (PNVG) Wet Mountain Meadow/Lodgepole Pine-Subalpine General Information Contributors (additional contributors may be listed under "Model Evolution and Comments") Modelers Reviewers Kelly Pohl kpohl@tnc.org Paul Reeberg paul_reeberg@nps.gov Ayn Shlisky ashlisky@tnc.org Vegetation Type Grassland Dominant Species* CARE DECA MUFI2 General Model Sources Literature Local Data Expert Estimate LANDFIRE Mapping Zones Rapid AssessmentModel Zones California Great Basin Great Lakes Northeast Northern Plains N-Cent.Rockies Pacific Northwest South Central Southeast S. Appalachians Southwest Geographic Range California Sierra Nevada, Southern Cascades Biophysical Site Wet meadows typically occur at upper elevations scattered throughout the geographic range, generally above 3900 ft (1200 m) in the north and 5900 ft (1800 m) in the south. The soils are less acidic and nutrientrich compared to bogs and fens, and are likely to remain wet late into the summer and in some places permanently. Meadows can occur near seeps streams and lakes, on steep slopes or in larger gaps within forested areas. Climate, interacting with fire, has played a role in maintaining meadows. Vegetation Occurs in openings interspersed among the various timber types. Generally there is less than 20 percent shrub canopy, and trees may occur widely scattered, especially around the perimeters. Two meadow typeswet and dry-are recognized in this classification, although commonly both types may occur in the same opening. Willows (Salix spp.) and alders (Alnus spp.) may form rather dense thickets about these wetter sites. Perennial grasses and forbs dominate dry meadows, and most will have some sedges. Dominant species include: primarily monocotyledonous species including hydrophytic sedges, which may include: abrupt-beaked sedge (C. abrupta), golden-fruited sedge (Carex aurea), and Nebraska sedge (C. nebraskensis), Agrostis thuberiana, Deschampsia caespitosa, and Muhlenbergia filiformis. Or if on steep slopes or in larger gaps: satin lupine (Lupinus obtusilobus), mule ears (Wyethia mollis), Artemisia douglasiana, and Alnus tenuifolia. Disturbance invasion of meadows began during the late 1800s and peaked during the early 1900s following a decline in fire frequency. Establishment occurred during cool and/or normal to wet springs, but was delayed along stock trails where grazing effects were most severe (Norman and Taylor 2003). invasion or mortality is often primarily a result of interannual climatic patterns in addition to fire. The disturbance Page 1 of 5

2 regime is very spatially complex in this vegetation type. Adjacency or Identification Concerns Scale Sources of Scale Data Literature Local Data Expert Estimate Issues/Problems Model Evolution and Comments Original model description did not match model attributes or outputs. Reeberg suggested editing model to reflect description better. Shlisky did this, but could not replicate reference state percentages with the original fire return interval means. With the original 250/120/2 replacement/mixed/surface intervals it was impossible to get 80% in an early seral state (A), as originally estimated in the DB by Reeburg. Shlisky assumed most of the surface fires implied by Reeberg were in open lodgepole stands, and may have been frequent, but would not result in a 2 year FRI for surface fires over the entire PNVG (i.e., open lodgepole stands make up a small portion of the PNVG, and the majority of the PNVG is estimated to be in state A, where it is assumed most fires would be stand replacement, not surface fires. Succession Classes** Succession classes are the equivalent of "Vegetation Fuel Classes" as defined in the Interagency FRCC Guidebook ( Class A 50 % Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Early1 PostRep Cover 0 % 100 % Height Grasses and forbs; shrubs emerging Size Class (snow bush, bush chinquapin); tree cover <10% Fuel Model Class B 30 % Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Mid1 Closed Cover % % Height Sapling and pole sized lodgepole Size Class pines at >40% canopy cover; occurring lower in elevation range. Fuel Model Page 2 of 5

3 Class C Mid1 Open 10 % Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Cover 10 % 39 % Height Sapling-pole sized lodgepole pines at <40% cover with little understory; occurring on rockier, higher elevation sites. Fuel Model Size Class Class D Late1 Open 5 % Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Cover 10 % 39 % Height Uneven aged stands of mature to very large lodgepole pines at <40% cover; gap patches and little understory. White fir emerging at lower elevations; limber pine emerging at higher elevations. Fuel Model Size Class Class E Late1 Closed 5 % Structure Data (for upper layer lifeform) Cover 40 % 100 % Height Mature and large lodgepole pines with lower strata of fir; occurring lower in elevation range. Fuel Model Disturbances Size Class Page 3 of 5

4 Disturbances Modeled Fire Insects/Disease Wind/Weather/Stress Native Grazing Competition Other: Other Historical Fire Size (acres) Avg: : : Sources of Fire Regime Data Literature Local Data Expert Estimate Fire Regime Group: 1 I: 0-35 year frequency, low and mixed severity II: 0-35 year frequency, replacement severity III: year frequency, low and mixed severity IV: year frequency, replacement severity V: 200+ year frequency, replacement severity Fire Intervals (FI) Fire interval is expressed in years for each fire severity class and for all types of fire combined (All Fires). Average FI is central tendency modeled. imum and maximum show the relative range of fire intervals, if known. Probability is the inverse of fire interval in years and is used in reference condition modeling. Percent of all fires is the percent of all fires in that severity class. All values are estimates and not precise. Avg FI FI FI Replacement 100 Mixed 200 Surface 30 Probability All Fires Percent of All Fires References Brown, James K.; Smith, Jane Kapler, eds Wildland fire in ecosystems: effects of fire on flora. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS-GTR-42-vol. 2. Ogden, UT: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 257 p. Chang, Chi-Ru Ecosystem responses to fire and variations in fire regimes. In: Status of the Sierra Nevada. Sierra Nevada Ecosystem Project: Final report to Congress. Volume II: Assessments and scientific basis for management options. Wildland Resources Center Report No. 37. Davis, CA: University of California, Centers for Water and Wildland Resources: Holland, R.F., Preliminary descriptions of the terrestrial natural communities of California. State of California, The Resources Agency, Nongame Heritage Program, Dept. Fish & Game, Sacramento, Calif. 156 pp. Norman, S.P. and A.H. Taylor Variable fire history across a forest-meadow landscape. Association of American Geographers, Boston, Massachusetts. Norman, S. P. and A. H. Taylor Tropical and north Pacific teleconnections influence fire regimes in pine-dominated forests of northeastern California, USA. Journal of Biogeography 30(7): Parker, A Persistence of lodgepole pine forests in the central Sierra Nevada. Ecology 67(6): Pinder, J.E., G.C. Kroh, J.D. White, and A.M.B. May The relationships between vegetation type and topography in Lassen Volcanic National Park. Plant Ecology 131: Peterson, David L., Arbaugh, Michael J., Robinson, Lindsay J., and Derderian, Berg R Growth trends of whitebark pine and lodgepole pine in a subalpine Sierra Nevada forest, California, U.S.A. Arctic and Alpine Research 22 (3): Rendel, Philip W., Parsons, David J., Gordon, Donald T Montane and subalpine vegetation of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Ranges. In Barbour, Michael G., and Major, Jack, eds. Terrestrial Vegetation of Page 4 of 5

5 California. California Native Plant Society Special Publication #9. Schmidt, Kirsten M, Menakis, James P., Hardy, Colin C., Hann, Wendel J., Bunnell, David L Development of coarse-scale spatial data for wildland fire and fuel management. Gen. Tech. Rep. RMRS- GTR-87. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 41 p. + CD. Sheppard, Paul R., Lassoie, James P Fire regime of the lodgepole pine forest of Mt. San Jacinto, California. Madroño 45 (1): U.S. Taylor, A.H invasion in meadows of Lassen Volcanic National Park, California. Professional Geographer 4: Page 5 of 5